Philippines Senate Not to Hear From Woman at Center of Probe

MANILA — Filipinos will have to wait to hear what the businesswoman at the center of a growing corruption scandal has to say.

Associated Press

In this photo taken on Aug. 28, Janet Lim Napoles, a wealthy businesswoman who is at the center of a corruption scandal, is shown during booking procedures in Manila. Separately, she is accused of wrongfully holding an employee.

The country’s ombudsman – the state agency in charge of prosecuting corrupt officials – said Tuesday that the woman accused of masterminding the diversion of $220 million of public funds entrusted to lawmakers can’t testify before an inquiry of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. The woman — Janet Lim Napoles – says she is innocent and is currently in police custody.

Ombusdman Conchita Carpio Morales said that “it would not be advisable, at this time” for Ms. Napoles to testify before the Senate on what she knows about the alleged misuse of public funds since it could “among other things, adversely affect public interest, prejudice the safety of witnesses or the disposition of cases against her.”

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Ms. Morales issued the statement after Senate President Fraklin Drilon sought the Ombudsman’s comment on the request of Sen. Teofisto Guingona Jr., chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, for a subpoena to force Ms. Napoles to testify.

Last week, the Department of Justice submitted stacks of documentary evidence to the Ombudsman to back its plunder and corruption complaints against Ms. Napoles and 37 others. Also accused in the alleged misuse of funds are three incumbent senators and five former congressmen, who are accused of pocketing the bulk of $220 million in funds derisively called “pork barrel,” as they can be used by lawmakers for projects to support their reelection bids.

Earlier Tuesday, Sen. Guingona berated Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for failing to bring to the Senate hearing witnesses who revealed the alleged misuse of funds.

Weeks earlier, Secretary de Lima has been cooperative with the Senate and even allowed the main accuser, Benhur Luy, a cousin and employee of Ms. Napoles, to talk to legislative investigators.

But Secretary de Lima told the senator that the situation is different now because a complaint has been filed with the Ombudsman, which has ruled against witnesses publicly disclosing information on a complaint pending before it.

Sen. Guingona said Ms. de Lima’s decision not to present to the Senate hearing the lead accusers in the case undermined the power of the Senate and he ordered the justice chief to bring the witnesses on Thursday.

Senate President Drilon said that the Ombudsman’s ruling prevents him from signing off on the subpoena that Sen. Guingona wants. However, he signed the summons requiring other accusers to testify to the Senate on Thursday.

“There is no such request for whistleblowers and the subpoena is addressed to Secretary de Lima,” he said. “If Secretary de Lima thinks that she should request the opinion of the Ombudsman, that is the matter that Secretary de Lima should handle.”

It isn’t the first time that the power of the Senate to investigate alleged corruption has been hobbled.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2005 issued an executive order that prevented Cabinet members and other government officials from testifying in congressional hearings unless permitted by the president. Part of that executive order was nullified by the Supreme Court after a case was filed by the Senate and argued by Sen. Drilon.

“I maintain that suppressing the truth is not consistent with our policy of transparency and public accountability,” said Sen. Drilon.

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